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Hundreds of lectures. Knowledgeable instructors. 
Join us in-person at one of our 19 locations or participate online.

         

JANUARY – MAY 2024 PROGRAM REGISTRATION IS
NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE OR VIA PHONE    

Keep your mind active and engaged in the new year!
Register for a lecture with FGCU Academy!    

Greetings,  

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2024 WINTER-SPRING PROGRAM GUIDE ONLINE!  

-Beginning today, Wednesday December 13, 2023, the Program Guides will be available at
The Naples Center – 704 Goodlette Frank Rd. N. We will have them in front of our building
for your convenience to pick one up any time.  

-If you would like to see our remarkably rich and varied program sooner, click the link above
to view our program guide online. They will be available at local libraries beginning the week
of December 18.  

WINTER-SPRING REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN  

AVAILABLE ONLINE BY CLICKING HERE  

Call our offices anytime for assistance at 239.434.4737      


Below are just a few of the many fascinating courses we will be offering in 2024  

We have a plethora of new and interesting topics just for you. Below are just a few
“Hot Topics In the News” to whet your whistle.  

Click on any of the lectures below to learn more about them.    

History, Law & Government  

China Under Xi Jinping  

In a significant break with the successful policies of Deng Xiaoping, Xi Jinping has launched
an aggressive program to realize the “China Dream” which centers on China’s emergence by
mid-century as the number one global economic power and a leading global political power.
He has transformed China’s domestic politics as part of that effort. What are his goals? What
are his methods? What are his prospects of succeeding? What will he risk attaining his goals?
What does it mean for U.S. hegemony in the 21st century?

 

Changing Dynamics in the Middle East
The Koreshans of Estero and the Link to the Waco
From Pumpkin Papers to Pentagon Papers: Famous Trials of the mid-20th Century  

Crime, Policing & Justice  

Crime in America  

Why do people commit destructive and violent crimes? While criminologists have been
searching for decades to discover the true cause of crime, the answer remains elusive. One
view is that anti-social behaviors are linked to pre-existing and destructive individual level
factors: impulsive personality; lack of self-control; cognitive deficits and personality disorders.

 

The Problem of Mass Incarceration in the U.S.
Defund the Police? The Current State of American Policing
The Free State of Florida: Really? What About Responsibility?  

Middle-East Conflicts / Anti-Semitism / Diversity  

Israel-Palestine Conflict   The Israel-Palestine conflict is complex and defies simple explanations.
It has Biblical dimensions that most other conflicts do not have. The immediate roots of the conflict
go back to the post-World War II period and the partitioning of Palestine.

 
Diversity and Unity
Rabbinic Judaism & Christianity in the 1st Century: Origins of Anti-Semitism
The Failure of Israeli Intelligence in the Hamas Terrorist Attacks – What Happened?  

Immigration  

A Nation of Immigrants  

A history of how our country has been peopled, with a look at those who have embraced
and those who have opposed the notion of an American cultural mosaic. The presentation
includes first-hand accounts by new arrivals to the U.S. beginning even before the country
existed, as well as the testimony of recent arrivals.

 

Immokalee of the 21st Century
Immigration 1776-2024: How Did We Get Into This Mess?
Immigration 2024: Crossroads of “Legal” and “Illegal” Immigration  

Media & News / Communication  

Media Perspectives

This lecture traces the evolution of media from its earliest incarnations (print) to its latest
iteration (social media), from its hierarchical beginnings to the proliferation of consumer
generated content, and how and why the media has lost much of its credibility. Join this
fascinating review of the history of the media and a look at its current incarnations.

 
Becoming More News Literate
Media Censorship – Science vs. Politics
Communication Competence: Respectful and Rewarding Interaction      

TAKE A LECTURE AT ONE OF OUR 19 LOCATIONS
 
The Arlington, Naples (AR)
Aston Gardens, North Naples (AG)
Bentley Village, North Naples (BV)
Bonita Bay Community Assoc., Bonita (BB)
Brooks Enrichment Center, Bonita (BR)
The Collaboratory, Ft. Myers (CO)
Cypress Cove, Ft. Myers (CC)
FGCU Main Campus, Ft. Myers (FG)
Grey Oaks Country Club, Naples (GR)
(see page 4 of the Winter-Spring 2024 Program Guide for location addresses)
Hideaway Beach Club, Marco island (HB)
The Island Country Club, Marco island (IC)
Moorings Park Grande Lake, Naples (GL)
Moorings Park at Grey Oaks, Naples (GO)
Moorings Park Original Campus, Naples (MP)
Naples Center, Naples (NC)
Siena Lakes, North Naples (SL)
The TwinEagles Club, North Naples (TE)
United Church of Marco Island, Marco (UC)
Wyndemere Country Club, Naples (WC)    


FGCU Academy

 
Click Below to View  
2024 Travel Open House Presentation

   
Classic Safari: Kenya & Tanzania August 13-28, 2024  16 days for $11,196   View Brochure

 
Exploring Iceland August 15-25, 2024   11 days for $6,692   View Brochure

 
Southern Italy & Sicily September 4-18, 2024   15 days for $6,674   View Brochure

 
Scotland: Highlands & Islands September 9-20, 2024   12 days for $5,896    View Brochure

 
Sensations of Lyon & Provence 2024 River Cruise September 17 – 28, 2024 12 days from $5,469   View Brochure

 
Jewels of the Rhine 2024 River Cruise September 20 – 30, 2024 11 days from $4,925    View Brochure

 
Provincial French Countryside September 27-October 11, 2024  15 days for $6,297   View Brochure

 
New Zealand Adventure October 10-25, 2024   16 days for $8,124   View Brochure

 
Southeast Asia Odysseys October 31-November 18, 2024  19 days for $7,597   View Brochure

Travel Abroad with FGCU Academy
Call our office 239.434.4737  for assistance with registration or Click to View our Website        

DONATE NOW  

FGCU Academy Needs Your Support Today to Ensure that Our Critical Mission
of Adult Education and Enrichment Continues!  

FGCU Academy is ready to serve the SWFL community for the Winter-Spring 2024 Season—
Learning, Growing, Sharing and Socializing. With nearly 700 programs at more than nineteen
locations, there is something for everyone. If we have had the opportunity to meet in person or
if you have heard me speak, I hope I was able to share with you my passion about FGCU
Academy and its mission to provide lifelong learning and enrichment to the SWFL community.
I believe it is critical to our well-being to keep exploring new avenues for growth to keep our
minds engaged in our past, present and future.   

Since we are a non-credit programmatic offering, Florida Gulf Coast University can provide
$0.00 of support to the Academy. We must be financially self-sustaining.  

The fact is that the revenue generated through memberships and program fees provides for only
50% of our annual operating costs. Additionally, our attendance has not yet returned to pre-
pandemic levels, so revenue is much lower than in the past.   

As an educator, I find myself slightly uncomfortable talking about the financial needs of the
Academy beyond thanking everyone for their participation. But, this year and for the near
future, it is important that I find the words to ask for additional support through philanthropic
donations.  

Our passion keeps us moving forward and your donations will do the same. Please take a moment
to consider a year-end donation to ensure our continued success. All amounts make a difference in
strengthening the work we do in the community.   

Your gift will allow the Academy to offer more than 1,000 diverse and fascinating programs at more
than twenty locations throughout SWFL. Through our mission we promise to enrich the lives, minds
and social well-being of more than 10,000 SWFL adults and seniors that participate in our programs
each year.   

CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW
 
or mail your donation to
FGCU Academy
704 Goodlette Frank Road North, Suite 330
Naples, FL 34102  

I want to wish you a truly joyous holiday season! I look forward to seeing you at a FGCU Academy
program in 2024. Please contact me directly at [email protected] or 239.434.4838 with questions or
to learn more.  

In gratitude,  
John J. Guerra
Director of FGCU Academy  

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FGCU Academy

FGCU ACADEMY NAPLES CENTER
704 Goodlette-Frank Rd N Suite 330
Naples, FL 34102  

239.434.4737  

[email protected]
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